Lecretia Searles died this morning on the day the High Court has rejected her right to allow her doctor to help her die. This brave woman and her family, friends, doctors and legal team have brought the assisted suicide (euthanasia) debate into the open as never before. We, as a society, need to discuss a way forward that will lead to respect for a person’s dying wish and for those who assist in making it happen.

Lecretia Seales was unsuccessful in seeking a landmark High Court ruling to allow her doctor to help her die without criminal prosecution. Justice David Collins released his judgment at 3pm which rejected her bid and said only Parliament can give her what she wanted. "The complex legal, philosophical, moral and clinical issues raised by Ms Seales' proceedings can only be addressed by Parliament passing legislation to amend the effect of the Crimes Act."Although Ms Seales has not obtained the outcomes she sought, she has selflessly provided a forum to clarify important aspects of New Zealand law."

The ruling comes as no surprise but it has brought the public debate about euthanasia to the fore where it should be.

Regardless of the result of the ruling, Ms Seales previously told the Herald said she would be proud if her court case prompted wider legislative change. "I'm reasonably confident that I won't be able to see it through to the end. But if I can get it started, that would make me happy."

In a previous blog a few weeks ago I wrote about Lecretia’s plight and made my position plain. This is a debate about individual freedom.

The assisted suicide (euthanasia) issue is one of individual rights: like the right to speak ones mind freely, the right to marry the person of ones choice, or the right to worship. By exercising such rights no-one else is harmed and frankly it is no-one else’s business what one does with one’s life.

When I was faced with a similar situation to that of Lecretia’s husband (my darling was also diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer and chose to die at home) it was my lot to ensure her wishes were fulfilled by doing all that she asked of me. From the time of the initial diagnosis through the long heartbreak to her inevitable death my life became one of caring for her in every way possible. Had she asked me one day to assist her to die I would have done so willingly, because what else is one to do when faced with the dying wish of ones darling. I would have found the wherewithal to end her life and would not have cared a fig for the law, the courts, the wishes of any other human being or any outcome such as imprisonment that might have been imposed on me by an ignorant and inhumane society. For there can be no greater freedom than the right to decide the manner and time of our own death and no greater responsibility or privilege than to render assistance if that is what is demanded.As it was she never asked me, so it fell to me, with the assistance of Waiheke's wonderful District Nurses, doctor, family and friends, to make sure she was as comfortable and pain free as possible at home as she became increasingly paralysed and her body and spirit reconciled themselves to the inevitable.For myself I am quite sure that, faced with the certainly of death in circumstances where life would become intolerable to me, I would end my life by my own hand. I would do it with the assistance of the euthanasia clinics in Switzerland or, more likely, make sure I had the tools on hand to decide the hour and manner of my passing. That is what a life of self responsibility and individual freedom ultimately means.Such a choice may not be available either through lack of money or circumstance. Nevertheless, in a humane world, it should be possible to assist a dying person fulfil their final wish without the threat of prosecution and imprisonment. Other countries have found a way. Lecretia has ensured the path is lit. All we have to do is follow it.

Well written Jo. I have just completed MY END OF LIFE PLAN. Palliative Care is referred to but of course assisted euthanasia remains illegal. Lecretia wanted the right to ask her doctor and hubby to administer the procedure without the risk of being prosecuted. Lecretia would have died happier KNOWING she had that right. It's a shame now that the Judge has forced us to make it a political problem. It's gonna drag on for years. Where is our Bill of Rights when we NEED it ???

Here's the link for the petition which closes for signatures on 20th June 2015